Norwegian train accident site not assessed for avalanche risk during 2022 safety review

The site of a fatal train accident in Norway was not investigated for avalanche risk during a 2022 safety assessment of the Nordlandsbanen railway. The train driver, Rolf Henry Ankersen, age 60, died when the train derailed near Finneidfjord in Hemnes municipality, Nordland. At the time, there were 46 passengers and three staff members aboard, four of whom were injured but none critically.

Bane Nor, the rail infrastructure manager, confirmed that there was no avalanche warning system in place at the accident site. Although measures had previously been taken to secure the area, further need for safety improvements was not deemed necessary, according to spokesperson Anne Kirkhusmo. The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) had mapped the entire Nordlandsbanen route for avalanche risk; however, they did not assess the accident site, as it was excluded due to prior safety measures.

NGI’s communications chief, Øydis Ulrikke Castberg, stated that their assessment focused on unprotected areas along the railway. Consequently, they did not re-evaluate sites already secured. In light of the recent accident, Bane Nor faces scrutiny over its safety protocols, especially as similar incidents have occurred in the past in the same area.

Despite having avalanche warning systems established at other locations along the Nordlandsbanen, the absence of such equipment at the accident site raises questions about the effectiveness of the current safety measures. Following the incident, Bane Nor is cooperating with investigations to determine responsibility and future safety protocols.